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August 22, 2026 
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Welcome back to The Weekender, where you’ll find a batch of the week’s top stories about culture and the way we live today.
I admit I’m guilty of some cynicism when an old word becomes hugely popular in a new way on the internet, and then in real life. Yes, I know language is constantly evolving, and that is one of its great beauties. But no, I want to say, that’s not a “lore dump” — that’s just your telling me about the pet fish you accidentally flushed down the toilet when you were 7.
In this week’s “On Language” column, though, the writer Mitch Therieau has a slightly more optimistic outlook. He argues that the use of the word “lore” online and beyond is a way to make the everyday a bit more magical: “If ‘lore’ is in part a word about treating fiction as a set of discoverable facts, it is also a word that imagines the hard facts of real life as part of a grand story.” OK, fine, that sounds pretty good.
That’s below, along with some “lore” about Rachel Cusk’s new novel, advice for preventing motion sickness and a roundup of make-ahead dinner recipes that you can serve and eat cold. I’ll see you next weekend(er).
— Kellina
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This edition of The Weekender was edited by Kellina Moore. Reach our team at weekender@nytimes.com.
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